Open Water Swimming With Rohan Skea

The Rottnest Channel Swim became the largest open water swimming event in 1998 with over 1,000 competitors. By 2001 this had exceeded 2,000. In 2003, 160 individuals, 92 teams of 2 and 421 teams of 4 entered the race with a waitlist of 135 teams unable to participate. This happened to be one of the worst years for weather conditions and only 43% of the entrants completed the swim.

The Rottnest Channel Swim is 19.2 km from Cottesloe Beach to Rottnest Island off Perth in Western Australia and is usually enjoyed by over 10,000 spectators at the start and has around 750 support craft involved, including Fremantle and Whitfords sea rescue, the Department of Planning and Infrastructure Fisheries, Water Police and Rottnest Island Authority Rangers. Around 100 volunteers and staff monitor crowds and swimmers and ensure all are accounted for.

The youngest swimmer to date was just under 14 years old and the oldest 72 years of age. The average age is around 41 years and predominantly male (63.5%). In addition around 180 kegs of beer are consumed. (Stats per Rottnestchannelswim.com.au)

Perth businessman Rohan Skea, founded the Skea Racing Open Water Swim Team to compete in the Rottnest Channel Swim amongst other open water races. Open water swimming can be dangerous, requires high levels of fitness and is definitely not for the faint hearted. Rohan Skea, a former State and National Surf Life Saving Champion founded the Skea Open Water Racing Team to compete in the event in 2003 and 2004, as well as the Busselton Pier Open water swimming race. Skea, originally a Perth lawyer ditched his business suit for a swim suit to take part in the prestigious event along with his team.

The Rottnest Channel swim is currently held by Travis and Jarrad Nederpelt with a time of 3:55:54

The virtual Rottnest swim has also been created for country swimmers to participate and replicate the 20km swim in their local pools.